Each year it takes me longer and longer to get into the Christmas Spirit. It used to be as soon as Halloween was over I'd be excitedly shopping and decorating getting ready for the holiday season. Anymore I'm lucky I feel the excitement a week or two before Christmas. Part of it is the over commercialization of the holiday and the other part is my family.1
I know it's a bad thing to say, but most people want to be with their family at this joyous time of year. I don't. In fact, I'd rather not go near them. It's not the bickering, there's not much of that, but it's more the silence. The tension, the sneering smiles or false hugs.2
Our family is no longer how it used to be. When I was a child I loved going to my Grandmother's for Christmas, other than the occasional yelling at the men to help instead of sitting and watching football our family got along and were laughing and playing games. I was usually on the outside of these things by choice, but I did enjoy watching their interaction. Now I'm on the outside just because we're not really a family anymore. We are split apart.3
Where would I rather be? At my friend's far from here (in another country). I would spend it with those whom I love and whom still believe in family and have taken me in as one of their own.4
It's because I have always believed Christmas to be a feeling. I've never been religious so I never really celebrated it as the birth of Christ. I've celebrated it as a time of love, joy, giving and hope. As my family seems to have forgotten these things, it's my wish for them to find it, but I have no way to force them. My friends however have this all year long and I wish to have that as well.5
My Christmas wish is to not have Christmas at all, but love, joy, giving and hope as it should be.
In a list
A contest entry
- If I had a christmas wish what would it be? by trekkergirl.
175 points, ended December 27, 2008, 27 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
What's your Christmas wish?
Comments
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I know what you mean about losing that Christmas spirit. It was always like the days were so much longer and it couldn't come fast enough, and now it's like "Wow, Christmas is in two weeks?" I loved this, because I can totally relate. Beautifully written, it brings out the emotion. Hope you win!
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yep the older you get the faster the year goes it seems. Thank you so much for the comment
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modern life is rubbish
i think a lot of people are miserable at Christmas because they are forced to be pleasant to family members who they don't particularly like. The modern family has disintegrated so much that it is not as important to most people as we like to pretend. Our real families are our friends who we see all the time and confide in. As for me, well i have neither. No family and no friends, but i'm happy. Why? It's better fun than being sad. -
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too true. That's exactly how I feel. At least around here there really isn't a thing as a blood family, just friends who are family and sometimes you can't even count them. Sorry to hear you don't have even that. But good philosophy.
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Ahhh but you see to me that is exactly what christmas is... love, joy, hope, family, giving... all that and so much more. It is not this I want... Buy me this. Money... money... and more money. Rushing from this shop to the next. This is not all that christmas is meant to be. It is sharing in my eyes at least. I hope you do get your wish. It is a very special wish. Thanks for sharing this with us and thanks for entering it into my contest.
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